Improvepdent in car-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron ABRAM DEHUFF, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,537, dated April 27, 1875; application filed March 22, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAM DEHUFF, of York, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in OarC0uplings, of which the following is a specification The object of my invention is to provide a self-acting or automatic car-coupler, which, while it shall be secure and strong, will admit of the instantuncoupling of the cars by a simple and slight movement of the brakeman, and as readily couple the two adjacent cars the moment they come in contact without any direct manual agency.

Figure l of the annexed drawing is a plan or top view of the apparatus as affixed to the upper side of the frame-work on which the car rests. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view or section of the connecting part-s forming the coupler.

A is the frame-work, forming the floor-timbers of the car and its platform 5 B. the longitudinal iron brace, extending beyond the platforms, and terminating in the notched points 0; D D, the bars forming the catches, into which are locked the notched ends a c of the braces B B. E E are .the springs, to which the bars I) D are firmly riveted or welded; F, the handle, pivoted at g, operated by the brakeman h, the latch formed on the extension of the pivot g, which releases the coupler by a movement of the handle or lever F, and I I are the buffers, formed by single elliptical bars bending outward from the curved ends of the platforms.

, It is readily perceived that the two ends of car-platforms made on this principle, coming together either at moderate speed or great force, will be instantly locked, and the pressure of the springs I I will keep the notches c in close contact with the bars D, and prevent the noise usually attending the starting and stopping of the train by percussion of the different parts.

The longitudinal braces B, whose extremities 0 form the locking parts of the coupler, are bolted or riveted to the cross-beams of the truck wherever they intersect them, as at 70 lo, and thereby impart a degree of strength and rigidity to the whole frame, which cannot be secured so economically in any other way. The springs E E, made of flat bars of steel, being fastened at l l to the stringers and braces of the frame-work, also materially assist in giving firmness and strength to the structure. The combination of the elliptical-spring buders with the locking parts of the apparatus presents a simple and cheap form of construction, together with an entirely efficient, reliable, and durable method of coupling railroadcars, reducing the cost and maintenance in perfect running order of the apparatus to the lowest attainable point, and satisfying all the requirements that the best experience could suggest.

I therefore claim The longitudinal bracesB, provided with ends 0, locking upon the cross-bars D, in combination with the springs E, handle or lever F, and pivoted latch h, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ABRAM DEHUFF.

Witnesses GEO. G. HYDE, U. H. PooLE. 

